Cinema Speakeasy

August 17, 2011 • 10:08 am 2

‘An American Werewolf in London’ Drink-Along: LA, Sep. 10

SORRY WOLFLETS, BUT WE’RE ALL SOLD OUT! RSVP IF YOU WANT TO GET ON THE WAITING LIST: heythere@cinemaspeakeasy.com

On Saturday September 10th, be sure to stick to the roads and keep off the moors…

The nights are getting longer, the air is getting cooler and it’s time to keep an eye out for things that go bump in the night. That’s right, it’s monster movie season.

This fall will be no exception, as BBQ Films and Cinema Speakeasy partner up and kick it off by bringing John Landis’ American Werewolf in London back home.

On Saturday September 10th, we’ll be hosting a free bi-coastal pop-up movie night — screening this werewolf classic in NYC and LA — and matching the film with complementary Newcastle Werewolf Limited Edition Ale from our buddies at Newcastle Brown Ale, good werewolf themed munchies (bring a tenner and Eat Catering will make sure your wolfy belly is full), and plenty of new friends.

Come out, raise a bottle, and settle in for a scary classic under the full moon. But listen carefully for a howl — because who knows what will happen tonight…

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Sat. September 10th, 2011
Doors open at 8: Mingle, snack, drink.
Film starts at 9:00.

Address in Culver City to be provided upon RSVP: heythere@cinemaspeakeasy.com

Tickets: Free
Beer: Free
Munchies: Cheap and delicious, courtesy of Eat Catering

21+ ID and an RSVP are required for entry.


PLEASE ENJOY NEWCASTLE WEREWOLF™ RESPONSIBLY.
©2011 Newcastle Importers, White Plains, NY

Filed under: Screening, , , ,

August 1, 2011 • 10:02 am 0

The Blunder Years: SF, Aug. 12 (with ‘Friends with Benefits’)

The Blunder Years: a benefit to make someone’s teen years less shitty than yours.

CSSF is not just about independent films, drink-a-longs, and beer-soaked bar napkins with phone numbers. We’re about giving back to the community!

Our buddies at Friends with Benefits asked us to partner up for their one year anniversary to bring you a new kind of fundraiser.  So we’re puttin’ on our moneymakin’ pants and raising dough for The Factory, BAVC’s video program for motivated youth in the Bay Area.

Remember when you were young? Let us take you back on that journey through your teenage years. Those awkward years. THE BLUNDER YEARS: A benefit to make someone’s teen years less shitty  than yours.

We’ve got a night filled with performances by Bay Area filmmakers, writers, musicians, and actors that reminisce back  to the TV shows or movies that still have a place in the tupperware boxes of our brains and hearts.

FEATURING: The Freeze*Mortified*Tales of Mere Existence*Piano Fight’s Monday Night Foreplays*Barry Jenkins*Ned Buskirk*We Players* a ton of great raffle prizes*hot singles that want to get to know you better!

And what Cinema Speakeasy would be complete without games or prizes? How ’bout a game that you all grew up with, no matter what decade you stayed home “sick” from school? One hint: COME ON DOWN! We know you want to!

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Friday August 12, 2011
Starts at 8PM

For this one night only we’re moving our digs from GAFFTA’s basement to a full blown theater and stage at  Z SPACE at 450 Florida St. in San Francisco!

For tons more info and to donate to The Factory: http://www.blunderyears.com/

Filed under: Screening

June 23, 2011 • 9:33 pm 0

Los Angeles Premiere ‘Honest Man’: LA, July 29th

☞ To RSVP for this event: Email heythere@cinemaspeakeasy.com ☜

Cinema Speakeasy is proud to present the LA premiere of James Dirschberger’s Honest Man: The Life of R. Budd Dwyer.

On January 22nd, 1987, the affable treasurer of the state of Pennsylvania held a press conference. Accused of bribery and facing jail time, a visibly agitated Budd Dwyer read a prepared speech professing his innocence to the attendant television cameras and reporters. He stopped reading mid-speech, and – after handing out three envelopes to his staffers – pulled out a revolver, pleaded with people to stand back, and shot himself.

More than 24 years after Dwyer’s shocking suicide, Los Angeles filmmaker James Dirschberger’s documentary about the life of this much-scrutinized politician will make its L.A. premiere on Friday, July 29.

Members of the Dwyer family, James Dirschberger, and Trevor Moore (founder of comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U’ Know) will be on hand for a post-screening Q&A, moderated by Truthdig.com‘s Kasia Anderson.

Millions of people have seen the video of Dwyer’s death on the internet but very little is known about the circumstances leading to the dramatic event. In our era of extreme rhetoric and a dehumanizing press corps, we at Cinema Speakeasy think that this movie presents an especially salient look at the potential repercussions to our callous treatment of public figures – be they politician or celebrity. Dirschberger presents an incisive account of the man behind the infamy, and we’re honored to show this thoughtful documentary.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Friday July 29th, 2011
Doors open at 7. Film starts at 8:30. Post screening Q&A at 10:00.
Come early and eat some good food at Royal/T’s café

Q&A moderated by Kasia Anderson, with members of the Dwyer family, Trevor Moore from The Whitest Kids U’ Know, and director James Dirschberger.

Royal/T (8910 Washington Blvd, Culver City 90232)
Tickets: $10 at the door
15% of Cinema Speakeasy’s proceeds will be given back to the filmmaker

RSVP for guaranteed entry: heythere@cinemaspeakeasy.com

—

About James Dirschberger: Director/Producer James Dirschberger is originally from Buffalo, NY, a few short hours north of Budd Dwyer’s hometown of Meadville. Dirschberger moved to San Francisco in 2002 to pursue filmmaking. Since then, he has teamed up with numerous Bay Area artists to create successful collaborative animations, music videos, short films and documentaries, eventually making a move to Los Angeles in early 2011. His films have screened around the world and have accumulated over one million views online. He is currently developing an animated series for television. HONEST MAN is his first feature film, developed by his production company, Eighty Four Films. 

About Kasia Anderson: Kasia Anderson is the Arts & Culture editor at Truthdig, and can be heard every Wednesday at 2pm on KPFK’s Truthdig radio show, 90.7FM. After graduating from Swarthmore College, she worked as a Web journalist in San Francisco until 2000, when she swapped coasts to write for the New York Daily News as an entertainment reporter. She has also written freelance pieces for Salon.com, the Orlando Sentinel, and Huffington Post, among other publications. In 2003, she returned to California to attend USC’s Annenberg School for Communication, from which she is currently working toward her Ph.D., with a dissertation about celebrity and politics.

About Trevor Moore: Trevor Paul Moore is an American actor, comedian, writer, and director. He is best known as a founding member of the New York City-based comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U’ Know, who currently have their own sketch comedy series on IFC. Moore’s other note-worthy projects include The Trevor Moore Show (which ran on Public-access television in Charlottesville, Virginia, between 1996 and 1998), Uncle Morty’s Dub Shack, and Miss March. (Source: Wikipedia)


Filed under: Screening, , , , , , , ,

June 19, 2011 • 11:48 am 0

Revenge of the Nerds Drink-Along: SF, July 7th

That’s right San Francisco! Mark those calendars because on Thursday July 7th, Cinema Speakeasy San Francisco is bringing you our next DRINK-A-LONG!

We’ll be screening one of your 80′s favorites! The classic that made glasses hip before the hipsters, that made being smart sexier than being buff, that had one of the most epic music scenes in all of 80′s movie history…REVENGE OF THE NERDS.

Come out and boo the Alpha Betas, dress up as a Pi Delta Pi, cheer on the Tri Lambs, and do the robot during the talent show!  It’s 2011 and in tech-savvy SF and the Silicone Valley, NERDS RULE.

Dress up as a nerd, pocket protector, taped-up glasses, highwaters and all, and get a free raffle ticket!

Stay tuned for the not-so-official drink-a-long rules. Here’s rule #1: Every time someone says “nerd”, yell NERD at the top of your lungs and take a swig! I bet you’ll graduate this drink-a-long with honors!

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Thursday July 7th, 2011
Doors at 7:30

GAFFTA (998 Market St. @ Taylor St. 94102).
Street parking: Carpool!

$5 at the door
This event is 21+

Filed under: Screening, , , ,

May 22, 2011 • 9:46 am 0

Music Video Mega-Mix: LA, June 18th

Cinema Speakeasy presents its first ever
Music Video Mega-Mix
Plus: Our two-year anniversary party!

Is the music video as we know it dead? Hell no it’s not. In fact, we here at Cinema Speakeasy believe that it’s enjoying a major renaissance.

Thanks to cheap technology and easy-access distribution outlets (let’s give credit where it’s due: YouTube), every budding director can go forth and engage in that beautiful collaboration that spawned the careers of people like Spike Jonze and Hype Williams.

We called out to our community for their best stuff – and boy did they come through. Out of the scores of amazing submissions, we chose the videos that we thought best evidenced the symphonic symbiosis that can happen when filmmakers and musicians see eye-to-eye. From norteño to hip-hop, electronic to shoegazer, we got eclectic like JD’s got Salinger.

On Saturday June 18th, come on down to Voyeur for our first ever Music Video Mega-Mix. You’ll get video premieres from some bands you know and some you’ve never heard of, and – as always – a rollicking boozy good time.

This is Cinema Speakeasy’s second anniversary. Wear a party hat and help us start our terrible twos with style.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Saturday June 18th, 2011
Doors open at 7:00, program starts at 8:00. Don’t be late.

Voyeur (7969 Santa Monica Blvd. West Hollywood)
Street parking: Carpool!

What’s a party without a raffle? We’ve got some good stuff: An H & M discount card, Voyeur drink tickets for the evening, a rockstar worthy men’s jacket from Rey Aquino Designs, and more…

Suggested donation: $5 at the door
Help us keep bringing you events and programming
This event is 21+ We check IDs, so don’t even try it whippersnapper.
RSVP: heythere@cinemaspeakeasy.com

PROGRAM

‘Don’t Believe It’ by Patrick Joseph, Directed by Brooke Hanson
‘Break’ by Malakai, Directed by Mark Spencer & William Spencer
‘Gimme More’ by Christopher Dallman, Directed by Derek Woods
‘Amalgam’ by Halos, Directed by Josh Soskin
‘Por Ti’ by Hermanos Herrera, Directed by Stephen Dypiangco
‘Island’ by Akron/Family, Directed by Dan Gahr
‘Gangsta n Police’ by dr. Israel, Directed by David Sauvage
‘Open the Door’ by Henry Wolfe, Directed by Yelena Zhelezov
‘TEDActive 2011 Music Video,’ By Jill Sobule, Wendy Melvoin, Annie Clark, Miguel Atwood Ferguson, Lisa Coleman, Aaron Sterling, Directed by Hiro Murai
‘The Forest’ by Mirah, Directed by Lauryn Siegel
‘Take On Me’ Literal Video, Created by Dustin McLean
‘In The Sun’ by She and Him, Directed by Peyton Reed

We hope to see you there!

Filed under: Screening, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 10, 2011 • 8:10 am 0

Wholphin Shorts: SF, June 2nd

What do you get when you cross a whale and a dolphin?  An amazing quarterly DVD magazine called Wholphin.

Founded in 2005 by McSweeney’s Dave Eggers and Brent Hoff, the curatorial geniuses at Wholphin scour the globe (and beyond) for “extraordinary short films, docs, instructional videos, foreign sitcoms, and other cinema hybrids that deserve to be seen on very expensive televisions.”

Or deserve to be seen at OUR NEXT SCREENING, Thursday June 2!

Our friends over at Wholphin are hand-selecting a variety of flicks especially for CSSF, and we can’t wait to kick back with a beer and share them with you!

And raffle prizes? Of course! How ’bout tickets to Yerba Buena Center for the Arts or a gorgeous prize pack from Beautiful/Decay? Yeah, thought you might be into that.

And free stuff?  Signpost.com, the neighborhood deal discovery site, is giving away 10 tickets to the screening! In the spirit of whales+dolphins, being clever, and getting free stuff, go to http://www.facebook.com/Signpostcom, like it, and leave the best fusion you can think of (whale + dolphin is taken).  Our 10 favorites win a free ticket.  You’ve got until May 31st to show us how smart you are!

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

Thursday June 18th, 2011
Doors at 7:30, Movie at 8pm
Q&A to follow the screening
GAFFTA (NEW LOCATION!  998 Market St. in the Warfield Building)
Tickets: $5 at the door

Filed under: Screening, , ,

May 5, 2011 • 1:44 pm 0

Los Angeles premiere ‘The Writer’: LA, May 25th

Cinema Speakeasy is excited to present a sneak peek of artist and director Anthony Ferraro’s feature film, ‘The Writer‘. This is a film made expressly for all of us creative folk, artists who must balance creativity, desire, reality, and, well,  mental sanity…

So come help us raise a glass to the thin line that separates us from the wrong side of the right path —  and to the director, cast and crew who brought you this story on screen — in the LA premiere of this odd-ball, authentic and clever new film!

As always, BYOB: The theme tonight is brown-bagging.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

The Writer
TRT 62 min.
Directed by Anthony Ferraro
Starring Eric Michael Kochmer and Stephanie Sanditz
Music  by John Arroyo
Based on Knut Hamsun’s novel ‘Hunger‘

thewritermovie.com

Synopsis: The Writer wanders the streets in a search for belonging and a chance to get his work published. All the while he is fast losing his grip on reality. A chance encounter with a woman while he wanders the streets homeless gives him hope for a better outcome in his life. It will take all his concentration and effort not to blow it. Ultimately the story sheds light on the difficult balance between following ones passion in all things and the harsh realities of day to day living that most of us take for granted.

Wednesday May 25th, 2011
Doors open at 8, film starts at 8:30PM
Echo Park Film Center (1200 N Alvarado St. @ Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. 90026)
Tickets: $5 at the door

Director Anthony Ferraro, composer John Arroyo and actors Eric Michael Kochmer, Stephanie Sanditz and Daniel Ferranti will be on hand for a post-screening Q&A.

Filed under: Screening, , , , ,

May 3, 2011 • 9:31 am 0

‘D Tour’: SF, Thurs May 5

CS:SF is back to first Thursdays on May 5th, bringing you D Tour, a feature documentary directed by Jim Granato about rock n’ roll and bodily fluids.

Huh? Check out the trailer here. Or, if you’re too lazy for all that clickin’: D Tour follows the journey of Pat Spurgeon, a talented indie rock musician in the band Rogue Wave whose life becomes consumed with the care of his failing kidney. Spurgeon was born with just one kidney, which began deteriorating when he was in junior high school. He received a kidney transplant, but just as Rogue Wave starts to take off, that kidney begins to fail. Spurgeon embarks on tour anyways, an exhausting prospect even for healthy musicians, but almost impossible for someone coping with dialysis, dietary restrictions, and the search for a living donor match.

D Tour addresses issues within the U.S. healthcare system, including the lack of affordable insurance, the importance of organ donation, and is filled with unexpected twists on the joys and sorrows of life.

CS:SF is pleased to report that both the filmmaker AND the film’s subject will be in the house for what promises to be a riveting Q&A.

We’re busy lining up some awesome prizes for you, as well as a partnership with the California Donor Network. We figure, with all the shout outs we do to our livers at each screening, it’s the least we can do.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

D Tour
TRT 83 min
Directed by Jim Granato
http://dtourmovie.com

Synopsis: Pat Spurgeon is a talented professional musician whose dreams of being in a successful, working, rock n roll band have come true. But just as his band, Rogue Wave, starts to take off, his kidney starts to fail. D Tour chronicles Pat’s search for a living organ donor and the challenges associated with finding a viable match. Pat’s choice to keep touring and working toward the band’s goals is put to the test; the absolute need to perform dialysis daily and to focus on his health become top priority while on the road. D Tour also addresses issues with the U.S. health care system, the lack of affordable insurance, the importance of organ donation, and much more. Featuring live performances from Ben Gibbard, Nada Surf, John Vanderslice, The Moore Brothers, and Rogue Wave.

Thursday, May 5th
Doors at 7:30, Movie at 8pm
Q&A to follow the screening
GAFFTA (NEW LOCATION!  998 Market St. in the Warfield Building)
Tickets: $5 at the door

Filed under: Screening, , ,

April 22, 2011 • 11:36 am 0

‘The Lost Children’ Film Workshop: LA, May 4th

Cinema Speakeasy is chuffed to present  a special workshop screening of Mark Harris’ brand new feature film ‘The Lost Children‘.

‘The Lost Children’ is so hot off the griddle, it’s still sizzling. In fact, this is the first public viewing of a film that has been in the works for several years.

If you are at all interested in cult deprogramming, shadow people, or the paranormal, you need to see this engrossing and dark film. As always, don’t forget to bring something nice to drink and share… Something that will warm your chilled bones.

Since this is a workshop screening of ‘The Lost Children’, director Mark Harris wants your help. Bring your critic’s eye: We’ll be conducting a feedback session after the film.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

‘The Lost Children‘ Workshop Screening
TRT 105 min
Produced & Directed by Mark Harris
Improvised by the cast based on a story by Mark Harris and Godfrey L. Simmons Jr

http://www.thelostchildrenmovie.com/

Synopsis: The Lost Children was a cult led by the mysterious and controlling Chance Sturges, and claiming to be made up of aliens from another world, stranded here on Earth for thousands of years.

We know this story ends in Evelyn’s death.

We also know that it involves the passing of the Tioga comet, and alleged UFO sightings within that comet. We know that save for Evelyn and Chance Sturges, the entire Lost Children cult was brutally massacred. We know that Chance Sturges vanished immediately after Evelyn’s death. We know that some small groups of women emerged after Evelyn’s death, claiming to “believe in” The Alpha.

But no one knows the details leading up to this outcome. It’s our goal to collect the rest of this material, in an attempt to tell Evelyn’s story in its entirety.

Wednesday May 4th, 2011
Doors open at 7:45, film starts at 8PM
Echo Park Film Center (1200 N Alvarado St. @ Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA. 90026)
Tickets: $5 at the door
Workshop and discussion to be held after the film

Filed under: Screening

April 13, 2011 • 7:50 am 0

‘How Do You Write a Joe Schermann Song’ film workshop: LA, Apr. 20

Cinema Speakeasy and Cinefist are excited to team up to present a special test screening of indie auteur Gary King’s newest feature film musical: ‘How Do You Write A Joe Schermann Song’

Cinema Speakeasy has long been involved in the DIY distribution movement. In fact, the organization was born out of a desire to help independent filmmakers find new audiences, as well as to help them sustain be providing revenue sharing models for the films we show. When our friends at Cinefist suggested we hold a test screening for Gary King’s newest film, we jumped at the chance. King has long been a bastion in the DIY film movement, but even more crucially, we think he’s a damn fine filmmaker.

Join us to watch his newest feature in a special workshop format. We’ll be providing Gary with some constructive criticism after the screening, so bring your eagle eye and help him make the film everything it can be.

Still, don’t forget to bring libations… to drink, to share, to pour on your neighbor’s toes when you disagree with his feedback. This is a Cinema Speakeasy event, after all, and what do we do at Cinema Speakeasy events? That’s right! We watch films, meet new people, and get loose.

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

‘How Do You Write A Joe Schermann Song‘ Film Workshop
TRT 115 min
Written & Directed by Gary King
A Kitchen Table Films production
http://www.joeschermannsong.com

Synopsis: Joe and his girlfriend Evey dream of hitting it big on Broadway. When Joe lands an opportunity to write for an Off-Broadway musical, he is forced to cast either the love of his life or Summer, his newly discovered muse. The realities of show business prove to Joe that writing is easy, living is hard.

Wednesday, April 20th
Doors at 7:30, Film at 7:45
Echo Park Film Center (1200 N Alvarado St. @ Sunset Blvd., LA, CA. 90026)
Tickets: $5 at the door (50% of the proceeds at the door will go to the filmmaker)

Workshop and discussion to be held after the film.
Bring a pen; there will be a questionnaire.
Director Gary King and actress Christina Rose will be in attendance

—

About Gary King: New York-based director Gary King is a contemporary DIY American filmmaker whose work is known for powerful performances with an emphasis on a strong, visual style.  He has written, directed and produced several critically acclaimed feature films as well as award-winning short films. http://www.grking.com

About Cinefist: Curation and distribution for an art house revolution. Cinefist is a quarterly film screening series, started in 2010 by filmmakers Zak Forsman and Kevin Shah (collectively known as The Sabi Company). Cinefist operates on a revenue-sharing model with the filmmakers it shows. http://cinefist.com/

Filed under: Screening, , ,

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